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| <-[[03 Crater Ridge Mines]]  |  [[05 Back at the Mines]] -> |

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====== 04 A Frosty Diversion ======

//Excerpt from [[Smike]]'s journal://

====== Feb 14: A new beginning ======

What the troll droppings happened? I can't remember any of the last few hours leading up to my death. My last journal entry seems kind of sinister but [[Veelas]] assures me they were just intimidating those orcs into revealing info. But what happened to me? It must have been those [[Lilac Masks]]! We need some kind of detection spell to protect us.

Well, things really fell apart while I was "gone". First [[Amak]] absconds with all our treasure (Never trust a monk!) so my party can't afford to raise me. Of course, they did the right thing in making that deal to help the merchant caravan but it is going to put us behind in our fight against old [[Tharzidun]]. Now we have to take weeks out to scare off some frost giants and clear the pass. Well, with the extra help from the beautiful [[Pthia]], [[Xaod]] the Slayer, and the ranger [[Ingrith]] it shouldn't be too hard. We leave tomorrow.

====== Feb 22: Caravan wreckage ======

We've found the giants. We discovered the waylaid caravan high up in the blistering cold pass with lots of enormous footprints (I could fit in one!) and wolf tracks. Then we saw the brutes for ourselves. They were up the hill from us and had tactical advantage so we hid in [[Veelas]]' ropetrick...after I single-handedly dealt with the wolves. We also discovered a wonderfully effective spell combination: firebug, the giants called it - [[Pthia]] grants me the ability to fly and then I torch them with fireballs! So much fun! (But exhausting, I really need some rest! We'll try to surprise them by the cover of night.)

====== Feb 23: Buried alive ======

Those clever giants! Who would've thought they had the wits? While we were sleeping safely in our ropetrick they piled a huge mound of snow, completely burying us! It took a little figuring, let me tell you, to get out of there, but my flame burns too fiercely to be snuffed that easily. I think it's just after midnight--we're going to try track the giants in the dark.

===== Dawn =====

What was in that brew [[Xaod]] gave me? I've got to stay away from the stuff. In these cold climes it can really take a toll on you. But a few hours in the nice warm ropetrick and I'm back to normal.

Haven't caught up to the giant's yet. They must be travelling hard. Where to? Anyway, [[Ingrith]] says we're not going fast enough to catch them, judging by the size of their strides.

===== 9am: Giant's camp =====

Just came across the giant's camp from last night. [[Ingrith]] says we have to push harder, we're losing them. No time to write.

===== 9pm: Rest =====

Ouch! I ache all over from that ride. I don't know if I can keep it up much longer. Too sleepy to write more...

====== Feb 24: Interception ======

Ingrith figures the brutes are heading to [[Crowsnest Pass]]. With some climbing we might be able to beat them by shortcutting through [[Crags' Cleft]]. [[Pthia]] has concocted an ingenious sled out of shields that should get us there faster. But first...breakfast!

===== Dusk: Firebug =====

It worked! Having climbed over [[Crags' Cleft]] [[Pthia]] spotted five hulks a few hundred yards ahead of us in the twilight. [[Pthia]] invoked flight on me again and I zoomed in to "firebug" them again. The plan worked flawlessly: I incinerated two of them and injured a third before rejoining my comrades who mopped up the remainder. One of them [[Thacia]] ran through with her lance on horseback--what a sight to see! I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that! The last two seemed to be carrying a bit of a grudge against me so I drew them in and then let [[Krulla]] and [[Veelas]] finish them. In spite of his two left hands, that man's got some skill at summoning, I must admit.

We've found the giants' loot in sacks: it appears they were taking it somewhere. [[Pthia]] wants to "ask" them tomorrow. But tonight we celebrate!

====== Feb 25: Interrogation ======

Well, that interrogation was a waste of time. About the only useful thing we learned was that the frost giants were heading back to their stronghold which seems to be a 2-4 week trip, at a place called [[Giant's Hand]]. Not like we'd want to go there anyway...all though [[Pthia]] seems to have some delusions of freeing the slaves held there. She and [[Thacia]] have stayed behind to find out more while the rest of us travel back to [[Hommlet]]. (It's going to be a long trip without our horses.)
